Abstract
A 31-year-old female patient with chronic low back pain, 10 months status post L5/S1 diskectomy and total disk arthroplasty, was seen for student physical therapy treatment for 12 visits in a 7-week period at an outpatient physical therapy clinic under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
The patient was evaluated at the initial encounter with universal goniometry, manual muscle testing, trunk endurance testing, the Patient Specific Functional Scale, and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. A plan of care was established to address impaired lumbar and hip mobility, lower extremity strength, trunk endurance, and trunk motor control. The plan of care also addressed the patient’s limited ability to rock climb, run, and complete floor to stand transitions. The main goals for the patient were to improve trunk and hip mobility, lower extremity strength, trunk endurance, trunk motor control, return to rock climbing, running, and complete floor to stand transitions. The main interventions used were trunk motor control exercises, manual therapy, and patient education. The patient achieved the following goals: increased trunk endurance, return to running, improved ability to rock climb, and improved ability to transition from floor to stand. The patient continued additional outpatient physical therapy at the same clinic due to residual back pain.